Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-28
Opprobrious Epithets.


Strikes bring out the technical slang
of the trades. and particularly the OPP
probrious epithets by which the differ
ent classes of workman distinguish the
unskilled men who labor at the same
trades. In most eases it will be found
that these slang terms originate in
some technicality Of the trade. Thus
the telegraphers call poor operator n
plug. after the little metal plug or pin
in the switchboard, good only to open
and close the circuit. They are also
called 'chair-warmers, the meaning of
which is apparent to everybody.
Printers designate an unskilled type
setter as shoemaker or black
smith The derivation of the former
appellation is from the fact that a
compositor who makes errors is OBJ
liged to correct them after the type is
set up by taking out the misplaced let
tiers and 'pegging' the proper ones into
their places. Tailors also use the
word shoemaker to distinguish u
poor hand, rs an unskilled workman
makes his stitches too far apart. and is
therefore better adapted to sew leather,
where he can punch the holes with an
awl before pulling his needle through
The appellation blacksmith is applied
to printer whose fingers are clumsy,
and II jeweler also terms an unskilled
worker at his trade blacksmith for
the same reason.
A term of opprobrium which was
used by. old New York printers to de-
note an unskilled compositor was the
word 'boarder, from the fact that
poor hand was generally a drinking
man and spent his time loatiug OF
boarding in liquor saloons. All strik-
ing workmen in common use the gem
eric word .seab' to distinguish those
who take the place of strikers. The
derivation of this word is obviously
from the fact that the scab is a morbid
growth, and lives only at the expense
of the general well-being of the rest of
the body.
Shakespeare uses the word scab as l.
term of opproblium, and Webster de-
fines seab rs a mean, paltry fellow
which may have suggested the. appl-
cation of the word to its present use.r
Different occupations have, however.
special names To particularize the
seabs of their respective callings. Thus
compositors call a seab rat, in con-
tcmptuons allusion to the rodents that
infest printing offices.
The, telegraphers have only recently
fnH ~
They call them COMMUNISTS, though
the term is not of technical derivation,
but is probably an attempt to manufac-
ture word from the Latin contnner.
the root of eontumscious, to describe
Il stubborn and obstinate person. There
is, however, strong current among
some of the operators that there was a
noted scab in the big strike in 1883 by
the name of Con Toomey. and hence
one who fellows IN his footsteps is
called a communist. which is certainly
a more humorous derivation than the
former
The iron-workers. especially the
nailers term scab black sheep
while the hatters say he is foul This
custom of designating those who work
contrary TO the rules and wishes of
their fellows by some uncompliment-
AIRY name is not confined to those who
are wage-workers. The lawyers term
the one who works contrary to the
ethics of the profession shyster,
while the doctors expressively call one
who pretends to be healer, without
belonging TO their medical society or
union IA quack. The same idea runs
through all classes of society.